


And That's a Long Ass Ride

by TaeHNG



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, I just picked a random girl it's not important, I love all of them ok, I'd feel the need to give them all bg stories and i just, JaeYong - Freeform, M/M, May go up in ratings later, Minor Yuta/Hyosung (secret), Sorry I couldn't fit the other nct characters in, Taeyong is only grumpy bc he deals with Jaehyun's barely legal self all day erry day, Ten is a precious soul, YAAAAAAAS, Yaoi, i cant derail that far wo going insane, kpop, ridiculous boys being dumb, romcom, tenny, yusol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2018-07-15 07:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7214065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaeHNG/pseuds/TaeHNG
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>University AU in which Ten is a Good Person, Johnny has a crush on everyone except Ten, Hansol is a sex symbol, Yuta is straight for real, Taeyong is too skinny to scare anyone, and Jaehyun is the only one who knows exactly what’s going on. AKA, everyone thirsts.</p><p>May go up in ratings later if mature content is added</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nyaNai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyaNai/gifts).



> Written for and beta'd by NyaNai! Thanks bro!  
> Also, THAT is who you can blame for getting me in NCT in the first place when I was totally over kpop.
> 
> "I'm pretty sure there was a soap opera like this..."  
> \- My current flatmate
> 
>  
> 
> Note: Cross posted to AFF but the chapters are slightly different in length and structure since AO3 tends to have a longer attention span than AFF. Content should be the same, just presented in different format/group

 

Ten likes his room mate. He really does. But sometimes Hansol’s a bit much, obsesses a little too hard, and drags Ten into the depths of his obsessive rants, kicking and screaming. Ten obsesses plenty — just not over people. He understands things — dance, music, English — but not people. Not like Hansol understands people, anyway.

 

“I’m hot, right?” Hansol kicks at spilled-over gravel on the pavement and whines in a way he would never be seen dead doing in front of anyone besides close friends. He’s got an image to uphold.

 

Ten rolls his eyes only a little bit. His friend and roommate occupies a space inside ‘comfortable self-confidence’, barely a stone’s throw away from ‘flat-out conceited’. “According to the general consensus, you’re smoking hot.”

 

“Why does it not work on him then? Is it because his flaming charisma is drowning mine out? It’s not like he’s _straight_.”

 

“If you’re sure.” Ten says dubiously, not bothering to argue with the elder’s strange theories anymore, and pulls open the heavy doors to the fine arts building. It’s a weird time for a class to start, not in a usual block, so the halls are mostly empty. “You know the concept of a gaydar is lost on me. I can never tell.”

 

Hansol shrugs. “You seem to be doing fine.”

 

Ten blinks, wide-eyed, at Hansol’s words. “Huh? What does that mean?”

 

Hansol rolls his eyes, but Hansol’s eyes are huge, so the effect is almost like ‘Hansol rolls his entire head’. Fixing Ten with a knowing look, he says, “Don’t think I don’t notice you giggling every time that tall kid tries to be funny.”

 

“But, he is funny?”

 

“How is singing along to every song in a wonky voice funny? I do that all the time and you just look all annoyed and say ‘ _Hansol, I’m trying to skype my mom’._ ”

 

“I don’t know, it’s just the way he does it.”

 

“I’d tell you to cut the crap, but I do believe you are genuinely clueless.” After a beat of silence, wherein Ten almost thinks Hansol has forgotten about his earlier griping, he sigh-groans dramatically and picks right up where he left off. “He’s just so, devastatingly… _Attractive_. I mean, I have a theory that you can’t be THAT primped and pretty without having an eye for it. And you either learn from enjoying it,” The last two words are heavy with suggestions, “Or you can’t not enjoy it after knowing it exists. That would be like being an artist without liking art.”

 

Ten opens his mouth to respond, but draws a blank. “I don’t quite follow. What are you talking about exactly?”

 

“I’m _saying,”_ Hansol pulls open the door to the dance studio to let Ten in before himself, “Nakamoto Yuta can’t possibly be straight.”

 

“Oh.” Ten says dumbly as he shuffles into the room with Hansol close behind.

 

Hansol is infatuated with a boy in their current dance class and has been talking Ten’s ear off every chance he gets, now that Ten finally knows who Yuta is. Even though Hansol has been friends with Yuta for like 3 years, he's limited himself to speculating about whether or not he swings this way, and why he’s not falling over himself for Hansol’s usual charms by now.

 

He makes a strange squinty face at Ten’s lack of response, but stays quiet and quickly loses interest in Ten when his eyes find the object of his speculations stretching sprawled out on the floor, chatting with Johnny.

 

Johnny, who stops mid-conversation with Yuta when he notices Hansol’s gaze, waves them over.

 

“‘Sup, peasants?” He calls out when they approach, holding a hand up.

 

Ten trails after Hansol, who salutes Johnny with two fingers, and then in the same fluid motion pulls his arms above his head to stretch. Ten grins and high-fives Johnny’s waiting hand, which he suspects was for Hansol, by the taller boy’s awkward chuckle. Hansol, however, is currently too busy walking his hands on the floor with his ass in the air, under the guise of stretching. Upside-down, he winks playfully from between his legs at Yuta, who laughs good-naturedly and shoves his forehead.

 

Ten glances up to ask Johnny about his progress on their choreography assignment, to find the latter’s gaze suspiciously zoned out in the general direction of Hansol’s rear. Typical.

 

When Hansol rights himself again, he looks disgustingly pleased. He settles onto the floor, facing Yuta, and steal’s Ten’s question. Ten isn’t sure if he overheard and decided to recycle, or if they really just think similarly.

 

“Did you say something?” Johnny whips his head to Ten with a start.

 

Ten side-eyes him with a lopsided grin knowingly. “Enjoyed the view?”

 

Johnny freezes for a split second in surprise, before relaxing into the easy smirk of his. “The _view_ enjoys _me._ ”

 

Ten snorts. “That makes _no_ sense.”

 

“I know.” Johnny replies cheerfully.

 

Then class is actually starting with some hollering and clapping for attention, and the train of conversation is lost. Ten doesn’t think about it for the rest of class, distracted by the new dance choreography for the mid-semester showcase coming up. It’s different from the usual hip hop -- more fluid rather than high energy. Taeyong keeps barking at Hansol to stop moving his hips like a stripper, and Ten only gets distracted by Johnny’s arms _one time._ He has a habit of wearing sleeveless tank tops to dance class, and his arms are longer than most.

 

Ten nearly gets whacked in the face by said arms when Johnny turns a bit too far to the left and Ten doesn’t react fast enough, but flinches back at the last moment to avoid decapitation. Taeyong’s hawk eyes don’t miss a thing, and he passive aggressively pauses the music and ruthlessly nags Ten about _spatial awareness_ and whatnot. Johnny keeps apologizing profusely, and sporadically, for the rest of class, saying that it’s his fault in the first place, and Ten just laughs and tells him it’s fine.

* * *

 

“He’s just stressed out about teaching everyone the new choreography in time for the performance, since the date’s been moved up about a week, and you know how he gets with deadlines and meticulous planning getting disrupted.” Jaehyun explains later.

 

Ten doesn’t really know, since it’s his first time having Taeyong as a dance TA, but he suspects Jaehyun is speaking from his vast experience of dealing with Taeyong outside of class. He nods anyways and assures Jaehyun that he understands.

 

“Like my grandpa when he doesn’t get his sunday paper at 8am on the dot.” Hansol puts in, and Yuta ducks his head to snicker.

 

“Just get married already.” Jaehyun grumbles under his breath.

 

Hansol throws him a mildly dirty look and Yuta gives up on trying to hide his laughter.

 

“You haven’t got anything else today yeah?” Hansol nudges Ten with his elbow, hands on his hair to push the damp blond strands out of his eyes.

 

The younger shakes his head. He usually doesn’t do anything after dance but go home and shower, so he and Hansol generally leave together. “No, I’ll walk back with you.”

 

“Actually, Ten,” Johnny calls out from the side wall where he’s bent over to pick his bag up from the floor, “Can I like, talk to you for a minute?”

 

“Uh,” Ten spins around, barely registering the words beyond the fact that Johnny was saying something to him, and Hansol kicks him in the calf for hesitating too long. “Yeah? Yeah. Sure.”

 

“I’ll see you later then,” Hansol says innocently, trotting backwards towards the door and makes a dirty hand motion at Ten, mouthing “Get iiiit!” crassly when no one is looking. “Wait up, Yuta! Ten’s ditching me for a taller version!”

 

Yuta makes a cooing sound of mock sympathy but holds the door open with his shoulder and waves at the remaining boys in the room, waiting for the Hansol to breeze past.

 

“You wanna walk with me?” Johnny asks, distractedly flicking wet hair out of his eyes. “Wait- which way are you going? I live on the east side of campus.”

 

Ten nods. “Yeah, that’s fine. Me too.”

 

“Alright cool.” He replies before turning towards Jaehyun and making cheesy finger guns at the youngest. “See you later, you hoe.”

 

Jaehyun throws a shoe at Johnny, who catches it and promptly chucks it back. Taeyong gives him a withering look. “Beat it, Chicago.”

 

“Sorry, sorry, boss.” Johnny brings his palms in, gesturing surrender, and pulls Ten out of the room by the backpack.

* * *

 

“So,” Johnny starts after a moment of hanging silence as they make their way out of the building, “You live with Hansol right? East of campus.”

 

“Yep.” Ten nods, darting a glance at Johnny, who is clearly grousing around the subject. “Been roommates since freshman year. Thank goodness we don’t share a room anymore though, as much as I love him.”

 

Johnny laughs good naturedly, even though Ten hasn’t said anything particularly funny, and Ten can’t help but grin. “Oh, so you’re not like. Together or anything, right?”

 

Ten gapes, taken aback by the fact that it even seemed like a possibility to Johnny, and the fact that there aren’t a lot of reasons someone asks, ‘Oh, you’re not dating so-and-so, right?’

 

“I mean!” The other back tracks, laughing nervously at Ten’s expression of bewilderment. “Not that I thought you were together. Just wanted to make sure I’m not- I mean-”

 

“No!” Ten finally splutters out. “Definitely not dating Hansol, nope. Uh-” He wants to ask why, but that might be a bit of an asshole move, if Johnny thinks he’d already dropped the hint. Ten didn’t really get it, but didn’t seem like he was trying to make Johnny spell it out either. As aforementioned, Ten doesn’t know people like Hansol knows people. Speaking of which, Hansol _had_ been heavily suggesting that Ten should be a _thing_ with Johnny, in between his rants about how every time Yuta smiles, a baby animal is born. And Ten is more inclined to believe Hansol’s observations over his own, especially when Johnny is asking things like _is he dating Hansol._

 

“Oh, good, I didn’t want to-”

 

“Um yeah, he’s way too-”

 

They both laugh nervously and there’s another awkward pause, Johnny waiting for Ten to elaborate, and Ten waiting for Johnny to finish. Johnny clears his throat, fiddling with the bandana on his bare bicep to busy himself for a second. Ten ducks his head, inexplicably flustered. When the bubble breaks, the word vomit is simultaneous and projectile.

 

“...To ask him out without knowing if-”

 

“...Way too in love with Yuta.”

 

“-he’s singl…” Johnny trails off and stops mid-step. “Wait. What?”

 

Ten closes his mouth with a click. “Oh.”

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

**Taeyong's Story:**

 

The thing about Jaehyun, is that Taeyong has known him for ages, and yet didn’t really know him until this year. Their fathers were colleagues, and any time one of the guys in their office had a get-together, everyone else took their wife and kids. The first time they met was actually at neither of their houses. The Choi’s were throwing a party for no apparent reason, and Mr Choi is obsessed with ping pong.

 

“I bet you kids can’t put a backspin on your ball!” He says loudly, waving extra paddles at them.

 

Taeyong spends the next 10 minutes trying to beat Mr Choi in a game of ping pong with the utmost concentration.

 

“Jung’s kid, here, you come play too.” He booms, thrusting a paddle at the small kid in the corner. Jaehyun smiles shyly and shrinks behind his mother, who was engaged in an urgent conversation about which grocery store carries the freshest meat with Taeyong’s mother, and is quickly forgotten by the over-excited man.

 

Taeyong eyes him curiously, and deems him too young to be of interest. He must still be in elementary school. Middle school boys like Taeyong don’t necessarily mingle with the younger kids.

 

When they go out to a fancy restaurant because someone got engaged, Jaehyun and Taeyong’s mothers leave them at the ‘kids table’ and says, “Taeyong-ah, take care of our Jaehyun, ok?”

 

Later Taeyong helps him reach for the jug of water and Jaehyun’s dimples peek out at him even as he tries to duck his head down in an attempt to bow, muttering his thanks. Taeyong forgets if he even said anything back.

 

Their fathers’ boss has a habit of always exclaiming in great surprise at how much the boys have grown every time he sees them, even though it’s at least twice a year. And when Taeyong goes through his truly rebellious phase in high school, his mother chides, “Look at Jung Jaehyun, he listens to his parents so well even though the two of you are almost the same age.”

 

Taeyong usually growls something along the lines of “Well, I’m not _Jung Jaehyun_ ”, but when she says it in the presence of the usual company, he just squints sourly and turns away. Jaehyun nudges him when they’re eating, and mumbles “Sorry” as if it was even remotely his fault.

 

Likewise, the parents often comment on how handsome Taeyong is growing and touch his face, and Taeyong darts glances at Jaehyun, because it’s a bit rude to comment on one and not the other. Almost like comparing them indirectly. They’re the closest in age, so they’re always being compared, sometimes outright and sometimes in a neglected comment. Taeyong’s not sure if he’s hoping Jaehyun isn’t paying attention, or if he’s making sure he is. Either way, Jaehyun always hears, and always has that perpetual smile that makes it seem like everything is a fun time to him. He doesn’t seem to feel left out, but Taeyong knows how he gets all glowy when the adults do say “Jung, your son must be so popular with the girls!”, and then Mr Jung says something like, “Probably not as popular as Lee Taeyong over here” and the moms and dads laugh and the boys mutter their usual thanks. Taeyong denies it politely.

 

Jaehyun soon takes to following up such comments with “Probably not as popular as Taeyong” type responses himself, and Taeyong is always too surprised by the tone of his laugh to properly deny it as usual.

 

Which may be why Taeyong is a little bitter when he realizes that Jaehyun is actually more popular with the girls than he is — by far.

* * *

 

Taeyong’s parents buy an apartment just off of campus, and when Jaehyun gets into the same university, it’s only natural that the other room is offered to him for free. The Jungs, of course, insist on paying rent, to no one’s surprise. Taeyong is both apprehensive of how awkward it might be to live with a childhood non-friend, but at the same time, morbidly curious of Jaehyun outside of the parent bubble. He knows how unbelievably different he himself is. So maybe he’s also a bit nervous about shocking Jaehyun, or being unable to fully relax without trying to keep up the Good Son guise around someone who has only know him as that.

 

It all kind of flies out of his head when Jaehyun arrives, surprisingly without his parents in tow, calls Taeyong “hyung” as usual, effortlessly carrying 2 boxes stacked on top of each other through the door. Right. The last time they saw each other was at least 2 years ago, before Taeyong went off to university and stopped accompanying his parents to gatherings. Jaehyun can _drive_ now, and is possibly an entire foot taller than he was before. Taeyong sits the fuck down, because Jaehyun is _taller_ than him, which was not even a possibility that went through his head.

 

Taeyong’s fate has been sealed since that day.

 

He learns that Jaehyun does compartmentalize his personality, but not in the way Taeyong thought. The Jaehyun he knows, the one who hides behind his eyelashes and shrinks back when he laughs, is the same one even with no parents and uncles and aunties in sight, still mild-mannered and gentle in his existence like no other 18 year old boy Taeyong knows of. When Taeyong introduces Jaehyun to Hansol and Yuta, fellow business school students he befriended simply because of the amount of group projects they’ve done together, Jaehyun accepts them easily with an eye crinkle, calls them hyung, and tentatively joins in on their antics, shoulders jostling up and down with every small bit of laughter. He’s loose.

 

The first time he saw Jaehyun interact with girls was like a blow to the gut. They didn’t have a dance class together Jaehyun’s freshman year, but Taeyong was in charge of managing attendance at the first dance concert. He was about to demand that a group of girls clear out of the boys’ side of the green room, since there was still a whole other boys’ class to fit in there, when he catches sight of Jaehyun in the midst of this same hoard of no less than 6 girls, all chirping _oppa this_ , and _oppa that_ . How Jaehyun, a freshman, can even be older than an entire group of people at a university is beyond Taeyong, but Jaehyun’s usual smile has a bit of an edge to it, one side tugging a little bit higher than the other, eyes not in their perpetually smile-crinkled state. He looks totally aware of himself, expression altogether too sharp, and something in his body language making him seem bigger than usual. The only thought that goes through Taeyong’s head is, he _knows exactly_ the effect he has on girls, and he _likes_ it.

 

Their eyes meet above the heads of the shorter girls, and even before Taeyong can close his mouth, or say something useful, Jaehyun falls out of this weird, dangerous persona and waves the girls away with some “don’t let me keep you” “better go get primped up for the stage” bullshit, and manly chuckling. Taeyong’s heard him _giggle like a child_ , but never _chuckle in a manly fashion_. Taeyong gives him an awkward thumbs up and a thanks before whirling around to deal with a sudden influx of people.

 

What gets to Taeyong the most though, is when they’re alone and Jaehyun’s gotten too comfortable with Taeyong’s constant presence and their easy banter, and it’s like he’s looking at the 15 year old Jaehyun again. His shoulders shake when he giggles, and he makes himself smaller, which Taeyong thinks might be because he’s not used to being _bigger_ than the elder. He whines when Taeyong keeps rearranging his shit that he leaves everywhere, and wrinkles his nose in an _ick_ expression and ducks away when Taeyong spitefully sprays Febreeze at him. When Taeyong realizes that he’s been treating Jaehyun like a little brother or something, he feels like he’s been hoodwinked. Still, it doesn’t stop him from invading Jaehyun’s personal space, because Jaehyun turns into a giant cat when he plays with his hair when they watch a movie, and squawks with no self-consciousness when Taeyong uses him as a personal heater in the winter.

 

Yuta says that Taeyong’s laughter threshold inexplicably goes up around Jaehyun — what usually causes him to collapse into fits of laughter and facepalm himself silly results in huffing and shoulder shaking instead. The shoulder shaking may actually be a habit he picked up from Jaehyun, but no one’s said anything about it. Taeyong jokes that it’s because Jaehyun laughs enough for the both of them, but really it’s because he’s too distracted by Jaehyun’s laughter to lose himself in fits of giggles. And maybe some residual feeling of obligation to be more mature than the younger, born of years of playing the role.

 

The _real_ reason Taeyong is in trouble is that Jaehyun’s split personalities start merging together their second year rooming together. Just like with that gaggle of girls at his first freshman dance concert, Jaehyun sometimes gets sharp and knowing around Taeyong, maybe unconsciously sensing Taeyong’s… _mixed feelings_ about him. He’s the least intimidating thing in the world, and yet, when Taeyong goes about his business being cold and collected around strangers and acquaintances, or when he gets snippy and short with their friends, or when he goes quiet because he can’t muster up anything to say that day, Jaehyun is looking at him knowingly like he knows exactly what’s going on in his mind. It’s unsettling, and makes him even more self-conscious than he already is. So he just hardens the demeanor, because having it fall apart every time Jaehyun is in the vicinity would be too exposing. Even then, Jaehyun still looks at Taeyong like he _knows_ something even Taeyong himself doesn’t. And it doesn’t help that Jaeyun somehow still at a peak in puberty, gets _even taller_ and somehow goes from looking like a teenage boy to having the most masculine physique Taeyong lays eyes upon on a regular basis.

 

So most nights, Taeyong wallows in his own embarrassing predicament of harboring a crush on Jung Jaehyun, and wipes off the gross feeling in the morning by running dance rehearsals like the deranged perfectionist he is.

 

* * *

 

“Am I intimidating in class?” Taeyong asks tentatively.

 

“You’re too skinny to be scary.” Hansol says.

 

“It’s all in his eyebrows.” Yuta informs Hansol sagely, hands illustrating the shape of Taeyong’s eyebrows on himself.

 

Jaehyun laughs wordlessly, gaze burning into the side of Taeyong’s face.

 


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny's awkward moment with Ten is concluded in less heart break than we thought, Hansol is digging himself into a Yuta-shaped grave, and Yuta has more game than we (Hansol) hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by the amazing NyaNai!
> 
> I stopped the chapter right when they 'bout to git down. I wasn't sure if I should fade to black and just go on with the story, or if my lovely subscribers want the smut any way you can get it. So! Please comment with your preference of whether "ew I came here for 'ze yaoiz' bitch don't touch my Yuta-sama" or "yes more smut > less smut regardless of who it's with".

**JOHNNY**

 

“Oh.” Johnny echoes, and they stand there, in the middle of the pavement, staring at each other like fools.

 

Ten’s eyes widen, and he splutters out, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

 

Johnny laughs reflexively at the hilarity of the situation, fighting the feeling of disappointment.

 

Of course.

 

“Well shit. No,  _ I’m _ sorry. I didn’t mean to throw this on you, that’s a terrible play on my part.” He says earnestly, holding a fist in front of his mouth.

 

He doesn’t know why it never occurred to him, but suddenly it makes a lot of sense. Hansol is like fire. He’s got the kind of magnetism that pulls people in, but the type that reaches towards a grounding source. Johnny is a floater, riding on the high of small moments and perfect for entertaining some mates. He was just another magpie drawn in by the shimmer of Hansol’s person. Yuta makes  _ perfect  _ sense. Yuta is like gold. He’s charismatic and genuine, doesn’t twinkle in attention like Hansol, but there’s a steady sort of shine to him.

 

Ten goes, “Jesus, still, I didn’t mean to shut you down like that,” looking like he had accidentally kicked a puppy. “And technically, it doesn’t mean he can’t like you still? His crush isn’t any less one sided than yours anyhow...”

 

“No, no, it’s fine. You don’t have to like- keep my hopes and dreams intact or anything- I mean, not that I’m saying it was my hopes and dreams-” Johnny babbles, waving his hands in front of him, because why does Ten look sadder about this than  _ Johnny  _ does. He takes a breath before saying with finality, “It’s fine. It wasn’t like I’m in love with him or anything. I’ll get over it, for sure.”

 

The other frowns and smiles at the same time, a strange combination. “If... you’re sure?” He laughs. “Wow, I mean… I should have seen this coming?”

 

Johnny quirks his head. And then he realizes what Ten is getting at.

 

“Like you were literally checking him out all class and-”

 

The taller boy clasps a hand over Ten’s mouth. “Oh my god. Please don’t; I’m already embarrassed enough. Can you like, not tell Hansol about this? I don’t want him to think I’ve got ulterior motives or anything.”

 

“Oh.” Ten pries Johnny’s hand off his face and takes a moment to process. “You won’t right?”

 

Johnny is mildly surprised at the instant connotation of trust, but verify. “I swear, I won’t.”

 

“Alright. Yeah, I won’t tell him. He knows everyone thinks he’s hot anyways, so it’s not like he’ll be scandalized by the loss of that info.”

 

Johnny huffs a laugh, the tension dispersing when Ten takes a verbal jab at his roommate. They resume their progress down the street in staccato.

 

“Thanks, man. I still feel kinda douchey though. Ugh.”

 

“Really, it’s fine.” Ten shakes his head and waves his hands earnestly. “But um… If you wanna talk about it? Feel free to…” He gestures abstractly at himself.

 

“No it’s fine I don’t-” Johnny goes to deny, trying to retract himself fully out of the situation.

 

“Okay.”

 

They walk in silence for a bit. “You know what, give me your number anyways. It’s ridiculous that I don’t have it yet.”

 

Ten grins and holds out his phone out to Johnny. “Sure.”

 

Ten texts him a random string of letters to send his phone number, and Johnny sends him a series of cat emojis back. He saves the name as “10” and Ten snorts, “How original.”

 

* * *

 

Johnny doesn’t mourn the loss of his chances with Hansol very much that day. Instead, he just feels like drowning in the embarrassment of jumping the gun and possibly making it awkward for Ten as well.

 

The next time Johnny sees Hansol, the first cohesive thought is  _ wow, he’s so fucking pretty,  _ but for some reason, he finds himself not minding the idea of Hansol being with Yuta instead of himself. They seem like they fit. What are crushes for besides crushing you, anyways?

 

His phone buzzes with an incoming text message.

 

**From: 10**

_ Stop staring at Hansol, you creep :P _

 

Johnny jumps and spins around. Ten waves his phone at him. Johnny ambles over.

 

“I’m over him, I swear!”

 

“If you say so.”

 

Johnny makes a mock offended face and gasps like a mademoiselle with oncoming heat stroke. “What happened to the guy who was like ‘oh my god I’m so sorry I crushed your hopes and dreams’?”

 

“I  _ never  _ said that.”

 

“You traitor, you two-faced scumbag, you pruny sea urchin.”

 

“Have you considered switching to a theater major?”

 

“Why, because I’m handsome and great at acting?”

 

“No, because you’re dramatic and you hog the spotlight.”

 

Johnny makes a mock offended face and gasps like a mademoiselle with oncoming heat stroke.

 

* * *

 

**HANSOL**

 

“...And then I walked into the room and Taeyong’s still sitting on the couch but he’s half asleep, Jaehyun is sitting on the floor in between his legs, tapping away on his phone, and Taeyong’s got his fingers sunk into Jaehyun’s hair, Scratching him like some sort of cat. And not even like he’s petting him,” Hansol reaches up and strokes Yuta’s hair, “But literally like he’s scratching his scalp.” He pulls his hands back and makes a clawing motion in the air. “That’s totally different. Right?”

 

“What,” Yuta grins wickedly and rakes his nails through the side of Hansol’s head. “Like that?”

 

Hansol squawks, ducking away with a shudder. “Jesus, Yuta, fuck off.”

 

They dissolve into a fit of laughter, elbowing at each other like grade school children.

 

“Ow, fuck, I give,” Yuta ducks away, nursing his sore ribs, “You have elbows of steel Hansol, I swear.”

 

“Fear me, fucker.”

 

“But yeah, Taeyong is really fucking whipped. Do you remember freshman year? He had to come over to do that project and refused to sit on the same couch as us and crouched in a corner the whole time.”

 

“Or when he ran out of water on that hike and I offered him some of mine, and he looked like he’d rather die of dehydration than drink from the same bottle as someone else.”

 

Yuta laughs without reservation, imagining Taeyong’s uncomfortable  _ ew  _ face. “Everyone knows you have cooties, Hansol.”

 

“Excuse me!” Hansol gasps, “People  _ line up  _ for my cooties.”

 

“Better start charging-” Yuta starts, and is promptly kicked in the back of the knees. Hansol raises his elbows with a playful glint in his eyes. Yuta starts repenting real quick. “Ow, ow, sorry! Mercy! Uncle!”

 

Hansol cackles at his victory. Yuta grins at him, both their hair messed up from rehearsals and goofing off.

 

“You’re a mess.” Hansol says, breathing noticeably either from laughing or assaulting Yuta.

 

“You’re a mess too,” Yuta replies easily, eyes clear and deep, “You’re lucky I have low standards.”

 

“Your standards are irrelevant, messy hair just makes me look sexier.” Hansol counters, running a hand through the abstract arrangement of blond, making a provocative facial expression at Yuta.

 

He plays along and clutches his chest, falling backwards as if shot in the heart by a cupid’s arrow. “If you’re not careful, you’ll accidentally seduce me with your shameless flirting that seemingly has no off switch.”

 

Hansol shoves him off the pavement onto someone’s lawn. “How do you know it’ll be an accident?”

 

“I feel like no one would have survived this long if it was intentional.”

 

Hansol snorts and slows to a stop, pointing to his building. “Flattery doesn’t work on me, Nakamoto. I’ll see you later.”

 

Yuta nods, waves cheerily, and continues on to his own apartment complex just down the street.

 

The moment Hansol gets into the apartment, he plants the back of his head on the door with a resounding thud and whines low in frustration.

 

“Fucking fuck.” He curses with no attempt at originality, “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”

 

With every syllable, he slides down the door until he’s sitting with his back on it, pushes a hand into his hair where Yuta’s finger’s had left a burning sensation, and tugs as hard as he can without pulling out his hair.

 

If he didn’t  _ know _ Yuta, he’d think the Japanese boy was flirting back. Yuta knows Hansol flirts with everyone, so really it wouldn’t even count as flirting. He’s just perpetuating Hansol’s general existence, which usually isn’t such a huge problem. They had clicked so well since day one, grown so comfortable in their dynamic, that he knows Yuta hadn’t even thought of second guessing his motives.

 

Hansol chuckles humorlessly at the irony of his very intentional seducing. But is it really that, if Hansol puts so much effort into holding himself back? He couldn’t even bring himself to ask Yuta whether he’s into guys.Yuta doesn’t question his regular behavior, but Yuta is far from dense, and Hansol is a wimp who wants to avoid anything that will give the other a reason to start doing so. He feels guilty taking advantage of their easy friendship, and wonders what Yuta would think if he knew these words and actions he throws so carelessly at Hansol is stoking a dangerous fire. He groans and texts as much to Ten.

 

Ten responds with  _ Maybe that’s why you complain about being unable to breath in his presence. _

 

**To: Ten**

_??????? _

 

**From: Ten**

_ Fire consumes oxygen and all that. Also you sound like a 12 year old girl trying to wax poetic about her crush _

 

**To: Ten**

_ How do you know I’m not? _

  
  


* * *

 

**YUTA**

 

_ I want nobody nobody but you _

 

_ I want nobody nobody but- _

 

“Yuta, I ‘hink ‘hat’s your ‘hone.” Johnny calls from the kitchen, sounding like he’s spraying a mouthful of food everywhere as he does.

 

“Huh?” Yuta looks up from the book he’s reading on the coffee table, blinking at the unfamiliar ringtone, but undoubtedly coming from his phone on the arm of the couch.

 

Johnny snickers, . “Hansol got to it again huh? Damn, that’s twice in one week.”

 

_ -nobody nobodaaayyy, nobodynobod- _

 

Yuta scrambles for it and jabs at the screen. “Hello?”

 

“Why hello, handsome!” Comes the cheery female voice. “Did you forget our date?”

 

“Date?” Yuta repeats dumbly, before standing straight up with a start. “Oh! Crap! I’m so sorry, I totally forgot.”

 

“I thought as much,” She continues, bright demeanor completely unperturbed. “So, I came by to pick you up anyway. You’ve got 10 minutes before I get there, babe!”

 

Yuta looks at his watch, slightly horrified. “Oh my gosh, Hyo, I just came back from  _ dance  _ practice. I haven’t even showered.”

 

She laughs. “Don’t be such a diva; I’m totally positive you still look bangin’.”

 

“I really am sorry.” He groans, dashing into his room, followed by Johnny’s curious gaze. “Even if I change I might still get kicked out from any decent restaurant.”

 

“Alright, no fancy restaurant then.”

 

Yuta wants to scream, or ask her how she stays so perfectly content in the face of crises of scheduling conflicts. Perhaps that’s why this whole undefined relationship works so well in the first place. “Didn’t you want-”

 

“Let’s be real, hm? The main event was never dinner.” She says slyly.

 

Yuta bites his lip. Fuck yeah. He’s convinced. “Geez, okay. Let me change though.”

 

“Too late~” She sing songs.

 

Before Yuta can ask what she meant, the line goes dead. He curses and pulls open a drawer for clean clothes. He’s barely pulled his jeans on over his ass when there’s a knock at the door. His eyes widen. He scampers back out to the living room, zipping his trousers on the way, but Johnny’s already opened the door, revealing a waving, grinning Hyosung.

 

“Well.  _ Hello _ .” Johnny was just saying, head pulled back in surprise. He’s still got some sort of dollar store pastry snack in one hand.

 

Yuta quickly grabs the door from Johnny. Thankfully, Hyosung is dressed casually and he doesn’t feel like too much of a bum. “Hyosung!”

 

“You knew a real life  _ goddess  _ and never told me?” Johnny turns to him indignantly.

 

“Aw, that’s cute.” Hyosung coos, flapping a hand up and down at Johnny. “Where did you get him, Yuta?”

 

Yuta sighs dramatically. “Found him in a cardboard box outside my doorstep.”

 

“Hey!” Johnny protests.

 

“Was it labeled ‘Tall, dark, and handsome, for adoption’?” Hyosung laughs, standing on her toes to measure Johnny’s height.

 

“More like ‘all snark and then some’.” Yuta mutters.

 

“That was a good one.” Hyosung nods in approval, then jangles her car keys at Yuta. “Ready to go, babe?”

 

“As ready as I can be at this point.” Yuta ducks out the door. “See ya, Johnny boy.”

 

Hyosung waves at Johnny. “Bye babe!”

 

Johnny looks remarkably confused as the door swings shut. “So she calls everyone babe or something…?”

 

Hyosung drives a modest black sedan, nothing obnoxious. Yuta was surprised when he first laid eyes on it. He grins as they make their way to the lot, snatches the car keys from her hands and skips off ahead. Hyosung has a moderately amused quirk in her brow when he unlocks the doors and opens the driver’s side for her, making a big show of being a gentleman.

 

“Why  _ thank _ you, kind sir.” Hyosung plays along theatrically and folds herself daintily into the seat. It’s hilariously goofy and overdone. Yuta’s never seen Hyosung give a shit about maintaining any sort of image. Probably why they get along so well.

 

“To make up for the peasants’ garb, my lady.” Yuta bows with a flourish and pushes the door shut.

 

They banter easily about mundane things along the way. Yuta complains about Hansol setting his ringtone to his girl group song of choice that day, but doesn’t move to change it back. Hyosung laughs, and asks what song it is.

 

“Wonder Girls ‘Nobody’, this time.” Yuta answers.

 

“I don’t know why you’re even mad. I love that song.”

 

“I’m not mad, who do you think I am?” Yuta puts a hand to his chest, feigning offense.

 

“Ah, of course. Yuta-sama is merciful and kind.”

 

Yuta chokes on a laugh. “Oh my god Hyo, never call me that again.”

 

“Ohoho, cuz you liked it?” She grins impishly.

 

Hyosung lives in an expensive looking condo about a 20 minute drive away. Yuta might attempt to feel threatened, but she’s already so far out of his league not to mention five years older, that it’s a lost cause far before her residence was even disclosed. When they get through the door, Yuta mentions he has a paper to revise due at midnight.

 

“Relax, it’s not even 5.” Hyosung purrs, backing him up against, maneuvering him with hands tucked into his front pockets.

 

His own hands find purchase on her hips and tugs. Her body snaps to his like one of those flexible fridge magnets. They're both grinning too hard at their own silly antics to do this properly, but perhaps that's why they work, whatever they are. She giggles quietly, bats her eyelashes, and Yuta licks into her mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As stated in the beginning: Please comment with your preference of whether the HyoYu smut should be a thing or not. I haven't decided if I want to go there yet but knowing what you guys want will definitely sway me ;D


	3. Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Yusol arc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ummmm i wrote the first two sections (up to jaehyun's) and then didn't for like 10 years so. idk whats going on in my story anymore. also ten section is unbeta'd

**YUTA**

 

When Yuta steps back into his apartment, Johnny is leaning against the counter, stirring a cup of tea. He looks up at the sound of the door. Yuta’s hair is still damp. Johnny keeps stirring.

 

“Hey.” Yuta waves, shutting the door behind him with a click.

 

Johnny is uncharacteristically silent for a few seconds, then hums his acknowledgement. The shuffling of Yuta’s clothes as he makes his way across the room seems uncomfortably loud in the absence of other sound. He picks his laptop up from the coffee table. It’s clacks loudly.

 

“Paper?” Johnny asks.

 

Yuta hums in confirmation. “It’s already done though, I just haven’t revised yet. But to be realistic, it’s just a typo and grammar check.”

 

Johnny chuckles. “No one fixes their content after they just finished bullshitting the entire thing.”

 

“Ain’t that the truth.” Yuta replies, skittering into his room, slightly perturbed by Johnny’s off-kilter demeanor.

 

The paper get submitted at 11:20, because Yuta lives life on the edge, but like, not  _ that _ on the edge. By then, he’d forgotten completely about the strange vibes Johnny was exuding.

 

When he comes out to the living room, Johnny is sitting cross legged on the tiny kitchen counter, back hunched and pressed against the cabinets, reading a cookbook, mug of tea in the middle of his legs.

 

“You remind me of those cats that insist on sitting in boxes that are way too small for them.”

 

“Are you calling me fat?”

 

“Fluffy, probably. Also, is that the ramen cookbook Jaehyun got you for your birthday as a joke?”

 

“Yeah. It’s actually kind of impressive how creative these recipes are, for a joke.”

 

“Maybe it’s his way of telling you to stick to ramen, after the dinner incident where you burned the rice.”

 

Johnny snorts. “That passive aggressive little shit.”

 

“Seriously, do you think Jaehyun and Taeyong have like 5 star home cooked meals everyday?”

 

“Oh, Taeyong can cook too?” Johnny doesn’t really know the guy.

 

“Probably better than Jaehyun. And more often too.”

 

Johnny looks scandalized. “That amount of cooking ability in a college student household is preposterous.”

 

“Right?”

 

There’s a moment of silence when Yuta aimlessly roots around the fridge for snacks.

 

“Hey.” Johnny says, finally putting that ridiculous cookbook down. He chews his words carefully, like he’s eating fish that hasn’t been deboned. “I hate to be nosy but, what exactly are you doing?”

 

“Contemplating whether or not I should risk this expired yogurt.” Yuta answers quickly.

 

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

 

Yuta looks up quickly. He tilts his head about, not really knowing how to answer such an open ended question.

 

“Are you dating her?”

 

“Not-” He replies hastily. “I mean. I don’t know.”

 

Johnny stares at him like he’s stupid.

 

“We… Go on dates and stuff. Text occasionally. And I don’t plan on seeing anyone else. But. I don’t think we’re  _ together _ together?”

 

“Is that a question? What is that? Like dating with no strings attached?”

 

“More like sex with decorations.”

 

“You’d be the type to be really obnoxious about being in a relationship.” Johnny says decisively. “So I don’t think you count this as dating.”

 

Yuta sticks his tongue out childishly. “Joke’s on you, you’re obnoxious even without a relationship.”

 

For once, Johnny doesn’t rise to the bait of an insult trading opportunity. “Stop me if you feel like I’m prying too much, but. Are you  _ going _ to date her?”

 

If Taeyong is the closest they get to a dad friend, then Johnny is the closest they get to a therapist friend. English majors get philosophical about people easily, and Johnny (unlike Jaehyun) usually isn’t shy to speak up about it.

 

Yuta stutters on a sigh and shrugs. “I don’t know.”

 

“Do you  _ want _ to date her?”

 

“I don’t know. Kind of.”

 

“Kind of?” Johnny raises his eyebrows in a characteristic way. “Does  _ she  _ want to date you?”

 

“I don’t know. Didn’t ask.”

 

“Cuz you’re afraid she’ll say no?”

 

“I... know she’ll say no.”

 

Johnny gives him a last measuring look as Yuta sniffs the yogurt experimentally. Then he sagely sips his cold tea and mutters, “A really posh booty call, huh?”

 

Yuta shrugs and deems the yogurt edible. “She’s fun. Makes me feel giddy, you know? Just bright all the time and up for a laugh and a good time.” He pulls a plastic spoon from the box above the fridge. “It’s working out well, you don’t need to be concerned.”

 

“Don’t get me wrong,” Johnny slides off the counter like a great cat Yuta compared him to, “She’s hot as fuck, but, the reason why ‘no-strings-attached’ sex exists is so no one gets tangled. She seems like she knows exactly what she wants so you’re going to end up with all the tangles if you’re not careful.”

 

“She doesn’t expect any strings, I don’t think.”

 

Johnny shoves the cookbook back into the pantry. “Other people don’t make your strings, you know. You do.” He pats Yuta on the shoulder and breezes back into his room. “Good talk.”

 

The yogurt turned out to be gross and chalky, so he makes a disgusted face and tosses it.

 

* * *

 

Midterms swing around for everyone, and Yuta spends half of it cooped up with Taeyong and Hansol, swapping notes and making each other study. Truthfully, it’s more like Taeyong tolerates their presence, and then yells at them when they disturb him, which in the end is beneficial for everyone.

 

He’s torn between not having enough time to go romping around with Hyosung, and needing it more than ever to destress. It works out ok since she’s on some sort of deadline for work (she’s working for a magazine) and only has time for Yuta sparingly. Midterms are staggered throughout 2 weeks for him, and during that time, he sees Hyosung twice. The first time, he had just struggled through a truly disgusting econ test, which he’d had to study for alone because Hansol had a different exam schedule, and Taeyong had already studied for that one. He growled at his phone for no good reason when he gets home, before texting Hyosung. She said she was working late, but could squeeze out some time during the break she allotted for dinner to see him. The stress crawling under his skin is relieved when the frustrations of an impending bad grade flush away as he loses himself in her company. Her animated remarks, the way she mockingly flicks her hair with both her hands when she pretends to be in a perfume commercial, and a satisfying fuck was worth every minute of that time he could have spent asleep.

 

He’s buried again under the midterm projects and studying and dance practice until more than a week later, when she texts him. He jumps at the chance, doing a victory fist pump. She’d been busy, and he’d been busy, and he’s wound up like a one of those toys that make those satisfying noises when they unwind. Which– accurate. She doesn’t say anything about work, but her jokes have more sarcastic bite than usual, and she rides him within an inch of his life. And alright, he can work with aggressive.

 

He usually doesn’t stay over too long, and always showers and redresses if he does. But this time, she grabs his arms and pins him with a complicated look. “You make me feel young again, you know?”

 

“You’re not old.” He responds, truthfully.

 

“No, like there isn’t pressure of the future. Like how much career I need and how much family I need. There’s no judgement and there’s no corporate. You’re not condescending and you’re not helpless. You don’t try to tell me what to do, and you don’t need me to tell you what to do. It’s hard to make comfortable friends as a girl in this world, you know?”

 

“I always worry about what will happen to the no-shits-given attitude of uni once I leave.  I think I understand. Like everyone expects something from you, right?”

 

She laughs and taps him on the nose. “Yeah. You’re a sharp one.”

 

It’s an unexpectedly serious topic for her. Perhaps she’d been trying to compartmentalise the work and life away from the fun. Which should have been the first sign that she didn’t really see Yuta as being part of her life.

 

She asks when his exams are over, and he says Thursday. They don’t make any plans, but she files it away with a thoughtful nod.

 

Thursday comes around just when Yuta thinks he might kick the bucket from how little sleep he’s been getting. He’s still at Taeyong’s place after his last test, because Hansol and Taeyong aren’t done yet, and he’d promised to help Hansol study for the econ test that he had taken already. They’re sitting on the floor, papers scattered over the coffee table and legs stretched out underneath, backs against the foot of the couch. They had migrated there after Hansol had slid down with a long, drawn out whine, and tossed his pencil across the room some time half an hour ago.

 

“I really want food and sleep.” Hansol groans.

 

“Same. Hurry up and study so I can have my long awaited prize.”

 

Hansol sets down his pencil. “But I could also not. And take a nap instead.”

 

“Oooor you could study these questions I managed to remember for you,” Yuta slides the pencil back into his hand, “And hopefully get a better grade than I did.”

 

Half an hour later, his phone buzzes with a text from Hyosung, saying  _ I just saw an intern walk around with an inhaler perched in his mouth.  _ He grins, and replies,  _ oh you know, why waste time taking it out every time you feel your airways closing when you could be sorting papers instead. _

 

They converse for a few more exchanges, before she asks,  _ done with exams?  _ Which, yes and yes, he is done and would like to be done. He shoots back a simple  _ yes  _ because it’s concise.

 

Hansol is propped against his side, and Yuta turns to see if he’s close to being done. The conclusion is that the blond is fast asleep, head hanging straight down. Yuta sighs in amusement quietly, and lifts his head back onto the couch. The result is Hansol’s mouth hanging open hilariously, and Yuta snaps a picture for blackmail. He leans forward, and sees that hansol is still a chapter and a half short of finish. In the sudden quiet, he hears the rasp of Jaehyun’s voice from his room and Taeyong’s manly giggles. He shakes Hansol by the shoulder with a quiet “yah” and realizes that he’s never seen Hansol asleep before. The elder groans hoarsely, but doesn’t move.

 

“You gonna finish? I have to go soon.” He says, scooting sideways to get up.

 

“F’ what?” Hansol slurs, blindly grabbing for him when the heat leaves his side, and toppling sideways into Yuta again. “I’m sooo tired.” And then, a sleepy mumble as he drifts off again halfway on top of Yuta, “Don’t leave yet.”

 

There’s a rush of sudden, tingling endearment, since it’s not often he gets to see the put-together older boy so punch-drunk and loose. He almost forgets to check his phone.  _ Wanna come over?  _ It says. He hesitates for a second, glancing between the invite and the splay of blonde against his ribs.  _ Ugh sorry, promised friends I’d tell them the questions for a test they still have to take tomorrow morning. That and sleep, which I haven’t had in too long :( _

 

The reply comes as  _ aah no worries, bros before hoes and all that. _

 

_ More like grades before babes.  _ He replies, and Hyosung follows up immediately with,  _ scores before whores _

 

He sends a laugh crying emoji and she says good night. Yuta lays all the way down on his side, with Hansol across half his body, and it should be weird and uncomfortable, but it’s not. He’s mid candy crush level when Jaehyun steps out, takes one look at them, and promptly joins the dog pile. Hansol cracks an eye open and groans in annoyance at the added weight, but apparently doesn’t care enough to do anything about it. Jaehyun lays with his legs over Hansol’s waist and head next to Yuta, suggesting moves to him quietly. They beat the candy crush level before Taeyong catches on, ducking his head out to investigate why Jaehyun hasn’t returned. Jaehyun beckons, and Taeyong raises an amused eyebrow. He ends up lying crosswise over all three of them on his stomach, uninterested in the mobile game, scribbling into a notebook. Taeyong does weird un-Taeyong things when Jaehyun is around. They all fall asleep at some point, elbows in ribs and all, except for Taeyong. They wake up around 1 in the morning, and Jaehyun magically produces seven thousand pillows, and they go right back to sleep.

 

“You guys are crazy.” Taeyong shakes his head, and retires back to his room.

 

Hansol wakes up for real this time, blinking slowly at Yuta a few times in the semi-gloom of a city apartment. “Oh, you stayed?”

 

“Yeah.” Yuta answers into a pillow, and Hansol grunts appreciatively and burrows back into the mess of pillows and boy-limbs.

 

Jaehyun gives him a knowing look, faint light glinting off the sleep-moisture in his eyes. Jaehyun seems to gain 5 years of shrewd maturity when Taeyong isn’t around.

 

* * *

 

**JAEHYUN**

 

Yuta is seeing someone. Jaehyun is 90% sure. For one, Yuta had just been complaining about missing workouts for midterms, so when they both finally had a night with no pressing studying to do, Jaehyun had asked if he wanted to go to the gym finally. To Jaehyun’s surprise, Yuta had declined light-heartedly, citing the dance rehearsals as enough to keep him in shape. Jaehyun never found out what Yuta was going to be doing with that free night. Mostly, it's the fact that occasionally, the other boy would get a text, go quiet to reply speedily, and slip his phone back into his pocket. Then he would rejoin whatever conversation they were having. If it had been one of the boys, he'd reply mid-sentence and continue talking, or snort at it and tilt the screen over for Jaehyun to see. But recently, Yuta checks out into his own personal bubble with his phone until he puts the phone back, making Jaehyun feel like it’s all hush-hush. It’s also becoming a trend for these conversations to precede his absence for the night. But maybe it's not a romantic thing. Maybe he’s just texting some other acquaintance from class. That explanation doesn't feel quite right though, somehow.

 

Jaehyun almost made some elaborate plan to find out, but when Jaehyun tentatively tells Taeyong his theory, Taeyong laughs. "No way, Yuta with some kind of secret lover? Why are you so interested in his love life anyways?"

 

"I never said it was a secret  _ lover _ ." Jaehyun points out, "Maybe a fuck buddy. Maybe it's not even meant to be a secret."

 

To Taeyong's credit, he only looks slightly scandalized.

 

“Besides, I’m basically his best friend! I’m concerned because, what kind of dude gets laid and doesn’t tell a bro? What if it’s sketch?”

 

The elder just stares at him and says slowly, “Why don’t you just ask Yuta’s room mate? You’re friends with that guy, right?”

 

Which, duh, of course, why didn’t Jaehyun think of that? Johnny  _ lives  _ with Yuta. It’s hard to hide that from a roommate who also happens to be your friend.

 

“Dude, you’re so smart.” Jaehyun wheezes, diving for his phone.

 

At dance practice the next day, Johnny tells him, with uncharacteristically shifty eyes, that Yuta is not-dating this really hot older chick but also not-not-dating dating her at the same time.

 

“What does that even mean?” Jaehyun asks, exasperated.

 

Johnny shrugs and his arms flop down to his sides with a smack. “I don’t even know–  _ He  _ doesn’t even know. I swear, I thought Yuta of all people would be put-together on that front.”

 

“Yeah dude. I always thought that Yuta just has this whole ‘life’ thing figured out.”

 

Johnny sighs. “But I mean. He’s the one getting ass on a regular basis so what do I know.”

 

Jaehyun tries not to imagine Yuta “getting ass” and fails. “Ew.” He says with a shudder.

 

Hansol walks past and spares the two of them a curious glance. Johnny clams up until he passes out of earshot. “Um, just, keep it to yourself, ok? I don’t think it’s our place to, like. Tell certain parties.”

 

“What are you-” Jaehyun cocks his head in confusion, but his eyes widen in realisation, darting a quick glance towards Hansol. “You don’t mean--?”

 

Johnny nods, then shrugs. “You’re the one who hangs out with them all the time. They practically live with you and Taeyong.”

 

Jaehyun’s eyes are getting dry from the bugging out. “I didn’t even think about it cuz they’ve been like that since before I knew them.”

 

“And you didn’t immediately wonder if they were dating?”

 

“That was when they both had black hair and the same hairstyle and I thought they were brothers!” Jaehyun whines in his own defense. “And then when I learned they weren’t, I already stopped questioning it.”

 

Johnny considers it for a second. “Now that you mention it, they do kinda look related don’t they? And they like, have some of the same clothes?” He shakes his head and tuts. “Confusing. Only twins do that. And girl-bffs.”

 

Jaehyun makes a face like he ate something sour. “No dude, they don’t have the same clothes. They just wear each other’s clothes sometimes.”

 

Johnny balks. “You’re absolutely sure they’re not  _ married _ ?”

 

Taeyong creepily sidles up behind Jaehyun. “Who’s married?” He asks in a quiet voice.

 

Jaehyun jumps, then pretends like he didn’t get scared. “Yusol.”

 

Taeyong’s mouth presses into a thin line. “Leave it alone, you guys are only going to cause trouble by gossiping.”

 

“You don’t think they need a push or something?” Jaehyun asks.

 

Taeyong blinks a level gaze at Jaehyun, and Johnny squirms a little under the intense ignoring. “You don’t get it. Yuta is  _ straight _ .”

 

The other two breathes out in sync. “Well  _ shit. _ ”

 

* * *

 

“So. Hyung.” Jaehyung says to Taeyong as casually as he can, taking a swig of milk straight out of the carton because Taeyong doesn’t drink it anyways. “You knew this whole time, huh? Is that why you’ve been kinda cagey about the whole thing since I brought it up?”

 

Taeyong side-eyes him seemingly straight into the soul, making the younger squirm uncomfortably under his scrutiny. It takes him a while to properly formulate the sentence, but he scoots onto a stool at the counter and fiddles with his fingers, indicating an impending response of actual substance. “Look, I’ll admit that I’m as nosy as the next person, but there’s literally nothing anyone can do here, except for Yuta. I don’t want to see the good relationship they have right now get fucked up because of good-natured meddling. Just let Hansol have this, ok?”

 

“How do you know it’s good?” Jaehyun asks curiously, squirming a little from the sudden depressing turn of conversation. “You don’t think Hansol wants some... Closure? Or something?”

 

“He’ll hate himself if he loses Yuta over this.”

 

Jaehyun doesn’t ask Taeyong what he means by  _ experience.  _ “Is that a huge possibility? Does he really have so little trust in Yuta?”

 

“Just– Everyone has their house of cards, ok? Don't go poking around or it might fall down with your finger next to it.” Taeyong says tiredly, sliding out of the stool with his forearms braces on the counter slowly. “I’m going to study for an exam.”

 

“Okay.”  _ You seem to have given that some thought.  _ He doesn’t say, letting the beat of silence drag Taeyong’s line of sight to his own. “If it were me in the situation though, I think it would be worth the risk.”

 

Taeyong ducks his head away suddenly with a mumbled goodnight, disappears into his room and shuts his door quietly. Jaehyun doesn’t see him turn on the lights.

 

“How do I know if the house is made of cards, though?” Jaehyun asks no one in particular, tapping a fist on the cheap counter. He downs the rest of the milk, licks his lips absently, and folds down the paper carton into a flat rectangle. It gets wedged into the side of the nearly-full trash can.

  
  
  


* * *

 

**TEN**

 

“The entire middle section is completely out of sync. I know the hits aren’t on the beats but you guys need to figure out the timing and watch each other. We’ll go over that next practice, anyone who’s still out of sync gets to pass out flyers for the show all of next week in front of the union.”

 

Everyone groans.

 

“Alright that’s it for the day. Yuta, can I see you for a minute?”

 

Yuta’s head jerks up, as if he hadn’t been paying attention until he heard his name. The boys scatter towards the side of the room, picking up their bags and chattering fills the room. Yuta makes his way towards Taeyong.

 

“Hey. What’s up?” He says.

 

Taeyong gives him a long look. “You’ve been underperforming for the last 3 practices. What’s going on?”

 

Yuta blinks. “Gee, thanks.”

 

“Are you injured?” Taeyong asks. “Because I know how you dance. You’re usually messy but-”

 

“Thanks.” Yuta mutters. “Again.”

 

“But high energy. Recently you’re always a few milliseconds behind everyone else and your sharpness took a big hit.”

 

Yuta looks alarmed, as if he hadn’t realized. “You’re not just saying that because I somehow pissed you off, right?”

 

“I’m not kidding. You need to get your shit together if it’s a personal problem. The showcase is literally next week, we can’t have you distracted.”

 

Yuta sighs. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back to normal soon.”

 

“Alright. See you tomorrow then.” Taeyong dismisses him.

 

Ten gives him a curious look as they trickle out with the mob together. “What happened?”

 

“Apparently I’ve been losing my touch these days. Says my timing needs some work.”

 

Ten hums. “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad. But with the showcase so near he’s getting perfectionistic about it. It’s why are shows sell so well though. Quality.”

 

“Yeah, well.” Yuta rakes through his hair. “I’ll have more time to practice now anyways. Midterms are over and finals are still a ways off.”

 

“You wanna practice with me and Hansol? We usually do friday night dates in the practice rooms because we’re sad and lonely, hah.”

 

Yuta laughs drily. “Sure. Sounds great. You’re great at timing, should get my ass back in line in no time.”

 

* * *

 

“You did what?” Hansol chokes on his box of green tea.

 

“It’s just dance practice.” Ten squints suspiciously. “And since when have you ever hesitated to do anything less than hoe-ass shit in front of Yuta’s face?”

 

“Yeah well. That was before I realized that I was in way too deep for a boy that’s way too straight and I’m basically fucked.” Hansol sips sadly at his tea.

 

Ten falters. “How are you suddenly so sure he’s straight?”

 

“Heard Johnny asking if he’s so freaked out cuz he got his– and I quote– ‘not-girlfriend’ pregnant. And before you say he might be joking, Yuta gave him the blankest, deadest look ever and then Johnny stopped laughing said ‘oh shit, what happened to her?’”

 

Ten gapes. “...Brutal.”

 

The sound of and almost empty juice box aggressively being sucked dry takes the place of a response.

 

“Do you want me to… uninvite him?”

 

“Now that’s just awkward.” Hansol chucks the carton in the trash. “No need. I’ll be fine. I’ll just go remind myself of how unattainable he is as he proceeds to be completely unaffected by anything I do. Then maybe I can get over him and find someone who actually appreciates my sex appeal. Let’s go.”

 

Well, the thing is, Yuta isn’t dragging the tempo anymore. If anything, he rushes. Ten purses his lips, almost feeling personally offended by the amount of frustration pouring out of his pores as he hacks aggressively through the choreo. It seems to be contagious, because Hansol does the same thing.Ten stumbles out mid-choreo, groaning as he cuts the music, “I can’t do this anymore, you are both throwing me off. You’re both rushing at the same pace and I can’t find the right one–“ Then he sticks his hands on his hips and commands in an uncharacteristically bossy tone, “One at a time. I’m gonna stand up here and fix your timing one by one first before attempting anything else.”

 

Yuta looks unsurprised, and Hansol just looks like he barely gives a shit. Ten scowls at their  lack of shits given. “I can’t believe you two. Hansol, come sit your ass here. I’m gonna fix Yuta first.”

 

After becoming an aggressive metronome for a good 10 minutes, he finally gives up. Yuta just isn’t getting it today, for some reason. If he’s not rushed, he’s dragging. His hits are irregular and messy. Ten can tell he’s trying, but it isn’t doing any good. Yuta holds up a hand, and turns tail. “Water.”

 

Hansol purses his lips and gives Ten a curious look. “I wonder what’s up with him.”

 

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask? You’re like, his best friend.”

 

Hansol frowns, a silent protest on his furrowed brows, but Ten continues. “This is more than just for our nosiness, kay? If the stuff in his head doesn’t get fixed, his timing will keep suffering. Nothing is helping, you saw that. It’s because it’s not that he’s under practiced.”

 

Hansol sniffs, rubbing his nose. Yuta returns, plopping down near them with an unattractive grunt. “I’m gonna go buy a drink.” Ten says, pushing himself up and dusting off his hands. “BRB.”

 

Hansol gives him a look of betrayal.

 

* * *

 

“I can see that expectant look you keep giving me.”

 

“Way to call me out. I’m just curious. You look like Satan himself appeared and told you that God is real.”

 

Hansol grimaced, scuffing his shoes as he walks. “Yeah well. Wait til you hear this.”

 

“I’m listening.”

 

Hansol is silent for a while. Then laughs quietly. “He thinks no one will ever take him seriously, or want a serious relationship with him… Because he basically got friendzoned by someone he was dating and fucking. Brutal.”

 

“...Brutal.”

 

“He asked me if he was TOO laid back. He said every girl he’s ever been with only saw him as a fling. He wants the storybook, fanfiction romance where someone NEEDS him. Thinks that he’s THE ONE. And he asks me if his personality just makes other people so chill that they will never have strong feelings for him.”

 

“I mean. If he keeps accepting these flings…”

 

“Yeah, and you know what I said?” Hansol looks forward resolutely into the darkness lit only by lights on the sides of the buildings.

 

“What did you say?” Ten asks obediently.

 

“I said–” He scoffs at himself quietly, “I said, ‘ask me that question again if you ever decide you’re not straight.’”

 

“You DIDN’T.” Ten screeches quietly.

 

“Did that even make any sense? That literally made no sense. He looked so confused. He looked like a fish. Who knew. Nakamoto Yuta, at a loss for words. I’m a god.”

 

“That’s why he looked so shook the rest of practice.” Ten wheezes. “And you acted like nothing even happened.”

 

“I’ve perfected the art of denial and avoidance.”

 

“He’s going to figure it out, you know. Yuta isn’t dense.”

 

“Yeah, well. I was screwed either way. I guess I’m not the ‘I scared to change our friendship so I guess I’ll just make it awkward and suffer by myself’ type. Shit, I didn’t bring my keys.”

 

“Is that a type?” Ten pulls out his, letting them both into the warm interior of their apartment.

 

Hansol enters first, dropping his bag unceremoniously onto the couch, then his own body follows suit. “You are that type. You have a chance with Johnny. I’m going to be so pissed if you just let it go out of timid inaction. You don’t even let yourself admit you like him, is how  _ that type _ you are.”

 

“Are you drunk? You sound like you’re drunk. Or high.”

 

“No. But it’s because you know I’m right. Drunk men tell no lies. You know how it goes.”

 

“You’re just brutal tonight, aren’t you? Called yourself out, called Yuta out, and now me.”

 

“I guess it’s a day for truths. Being honest– especially with yourself– is the only way problems get solved.”

  
“You wanna know a truth then?” Ten shuffles in, putting his things much more gingerly onto the counter. “Johnny likes  _ you,  _ not me.”

**Author's Note:**

> Leave me some comments bc I had no idea what I'm doing with these fools and if they come across as I intended???? THANKS BABES


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